Phylogenomics of sterol synthesis: insights into the origin, evolution, and diversity of a key eukaryotic feature.

ABSTRACT: The availability of complete genomes from a wide sampling of eukaryotic diversity has allowed the application of phylogenomics approaches to study the origin and evolution of unique eukaryotic cellular structures, but these are still poorly applied to study unique eukaryotic metabolic pathways. Sterols are a good example because they are an essential feature of eukaryotic membranes. The sterol pathway has been well dissected in vertebrates, fungi, and land plants. However, although different types of sterols have been identified in other eukaryotic lineages, their pathways have not been fully characterized. We have carried out an extensive analysis of the taxonomic distribution and phylogeny of the enzymes of the sterol pathway in a large sampling of eukaryotic lineages. This allowed us to

SUBMITTER: Desmond E 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2817430 | biostudies-literature | 2009 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature